Student Notable

Transportation Award

Core77 Design Awards 2017

The Community Powered Health Transportation Project

The Community Powered Health Transportation System enables a new network of people to transport patients in non-emergency situations. This would relieve the existing ambulance systems and get patients the care that they require, quicker. Studies showed us that improving ambulance response time was one of the most effective ways to improve healthcare in developing countries. Once in place, this network of people can also be activated to aid in disaster relief situations. As a side benefit, the system also empowers people to act in the common good for local communities.

In the developing world, wheelbarrows were being used to transport people to hospitals during emergencies. We asked ourselves, how could we improve this situation? The lack of resources and the scarcity of ambulances creates a harsh reality. We knew that if we really wanted to tackle the problem we would need a wider and deeper look.

Instead of focusing solely on the design of the piece of hardware, the vehicle, we chose to design a living system that could become a part of the daily life of these communities. In pragmatic fashion, it also had to be cost effective, in implementation and operation.

The uniqueness of this design is that it combines a simple piece of hardware and intelligent software to enable people to contribute to the solution of a complex healthcare problem. Our solution, similar to Uber and other shared-economy services, applies to urgent needs in the developing world.

Simplicity was always a main driver for us. We understood, early on in the process, that the simplicity of this solution had to be considered on each and every touchpoint. From the hardware parts, to the software and service, everything was thought out to develop a simple and seamless experience. This is a system that, by nature, needed to be very easy to understand for every stakeholder.

The potential clients for these projects are developing world governments and first world corporations that want to help places in need. For the governments, this project helps tackle one of the largest problems in the developing world, delivering healthcare to citizens in an economically sustainable way. It would be mutually beneficial for existing brand, such as Uber itself, to be part of the system for the success of the project as well as visibility, funding and reputation.

And the research paid off. Studies quickly showed us that improving ambulance response time was one of the most effective ways to better healthcare in developing countries. And also, that precious time is constantly being stolen from ambulances when performing the simple transportation of patients in non-emergency situations.

The Community Powered Health Transportation System enables a new network of people to transport patients in non-emergency situations. This would relieve the existing ambulance systems and get patients the care that they require, quicker. Studies showed us that improving ambulance response time was one of the most effective ways to improve healthcare in developing countries. Once in place, this network of people can also be activated to aid in disaster relief situations. As a side benefit, the system also empowers people to act in the common good for local communities.